Discussion of the development of educational software focuses on a project at the Dutch Open University to develop a pedagogical design specification method for educational software that is not bound to specific instructional design principles or learning theories. "SHOC-TOOL" is described as a supporting tool for use with interactive…

In this paper, we give a detailed account of the design principles and construction of activities designed for learning about the relationships between position, velocity and acceleration, and corresponding kinematics graphs. Our approach is model-based, that is, it focuses attention on the idea that students constructed their own models--in the…

Describes implementation, support, and evaluation of computer assisted learning (CAL) projects at three universities: Project Athena at Massachusetts Institute of Technology; the Andrew network at Carnegie Mellon University; and a project at Stanford University. Topics discussed include work stations, microcomputers, computer networks, graphics,…

A study of 16 boys and 16 girls aged 10-11 investigated gender stereotyped, gender neutral, and abstract versions of problem-solving software. Found that boys preferred the male stereotyped version, whereas girls showed no significant preference for the male, female, or neutral versions. Findings are consistent with research on gender stereotyping…

Discussion of learning a new computer software program focuses on how to support the joint handling of a manual, input devices, and screen display. Describes a study that examined three design styles for manuals that included screen images to reduce split-attention problems and discusses theory versus practice and cognitive load theory.…

Intended for potential business users, this paper describes the main characteristics of expert systems; discusses practical use considerations; presents a taxonomy of the systems; and reviews several expert system development projects in business and industry. (MBR)

Addresses the problems of adapting instructional courses for trans-European tele-learning and for enlarging the range of students and learning modalities in distance learning. Building on previous work on the portability of educational software, various dimensions of software adaptation are examined and their possible effects on course adaptation…

Discusses recent advances in cognitive theory and the design of computer-based instruction and suggests implications for the design of authoring tools and tutoring system shells. Highlights include the design of courseware; advanced organizers; knowledge representation; design evaluation; models of knowledge; models of errors; and models of…

Describes the Interact project which integrated the distributed hypermedia environment provided by the World Wide Web (WWW) with simulation software to develop reusable education resources that support collaboration across institutions. Discusses benefits of a resource-based design, facilitating and managing the design process in the WWW, and…

The present study aims to explore the extent to which computer-assisted teaching facilitates the learning of basic mathematical concepts and skills in children with Down Syndrome (DS). Thus, the effectiveness of a multimedia teaching method is compared with a traditional one in the teaching of counting and cardinality abilities and concepts. In…

Discusses the concept of intelligence and the extent to which it is present in intelligent tutoring systems and intelligent computer-assisted instruction. Topics discussed include courseware evaluation; artificial intelligence; the degree of learner control; knowledge acquisition; fault tolerance; and feedback and self-evaluation. (23 references)…

Interactions of groups of students working with a variety of educational software are analyzed to develop an account of the structure of collaborative educational activities supported by directive software. Argues that the structure of educational activities around directive software can allow for the possibility of embedding exploratory…

The teaching and learning potential of interactive video (IV) are explored. Some of the programs currently in use are described. The use of IV for simulations, practical work, problem solving, and presentational skills are discussed. (KR)

While simulations have widely been used to facilitate conceptual change in learning science, results indicate that significant disparity or gap between students' prior conceptions and scientific conceptions still exists. To bridge the gap, we argue that the applications of computer simulation in science education should be broadened to enable…

This paper examines the evidence for the digital divide based on gender. An overview of research published in the last 20 years draws to the conclusion that females are at a disadvantage relative to men when learning about computers or learning other material with the aid of computer-assisted software. The evidence shows that the digital divide…